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What is a Magnet Program? Irvington High School is designated as Fremont Unified School District’s Arts Magnet high school. Students from all over the district can apply to participate in our arts programming by enrolling in Irvington High School. Irvington’s Arts Magnet program helps you to pursue your interest in one or more of the fine arts—dance, drama, music, and the visual arts—in-depth throughout high school.
What is the Center for the Creative Arts (CCA)? The Center for Creative Arts (CCA) is a 9th - 12th grade academic “family.” At Irvington High School grade level teachers from specific subjects are paired in the CCA family, where teachers work/collaborate together and the same groups of students are in classes together. The teachers team-teach at times and the students work on the CHANGE benchmark project in groups. In 9th grade CCA classes, the English class is enriched with arts-based activities that target the students’ artistic strengths and interests. Freshmen in FUSD must take a semester of health backed by a semester of Ethnic Studies, a required social studies class where students analyze historic and contemporary systems of oppression focusing on the experiences of historically marginalized groups while making connections to their own ethnicities. For our CCA family students take a version of Ethnic Studies but through the art of these cultures. This Ethnic Studies through Art course gives students the opportunity to learn the same historical content through the art, the music, the theater, and the dance of these different cultures. Students will also get to make their own visual and performing arts projects connected to the curriculum. The 9th grade CCA teachers collaborate and teach arts projects throughout the year. Students in the CCA have shared interests and a common bond with their classmates and teachers, creating an exciting introduction to high school. All students are given the opportunity to excel and shine, both artistically and academically. The CCA family classes are English and history at the 10th through 12th grade levels.
How do CCA academic classes differ from other academic classes? What is special about CCA courses is the integration of art into core subject curriculum. CCA teachers teach standards based content with an emphasis on lessons which include both visual and performing arts. Teachers also use project based learning in which the product of the lesson/unit is one that is arts based, but also demonstrates content knowledge, as opposed to strictly assessing through traditional tests or essays. This is not to say that tests and essays do not occur in a CCA core class, but the opportunity for art based learning, as well as art based field trips, is a definite advantage of being in the CCA family, not to mention the advantage of learning in a group of students who are all passionate about art or creative expression. Another benefit of being in a CCA core class is that the art created in class could end up in a gallery or art exhibition on campus.
What arts classes are offered for CCA students?
CCA students can chose from the following classes:
Intro to Design, Art1, Art 2, Sculpture and Ceramics 1, Sculpture 2, Studio Art, AP Studio Art 2D/3D/Drawing, Digital Imaging, Digital Photo 1-3, AP Art History, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Band 1 & 2, Marching Band, Orchestra 1 & 2, Choir 1 & 2, Chamber Chorale 1, Chorale 2, Treble Ensemble, Guitar 1 and 2, Drama 1-3, Dance, Advanced Dance, Production/Stage Management…
*Some visual and performing art classes at IHS are not offered some years due to enrollment. If a certain course does not meet a minimum enrollment number then the administration may pull a course from being offered for the following school year.
All of the classes, depending upon level and specific eligibility requirements, are open to CCA students. All CCA students, Magnet or from the IHS attendance area, are urged to take an art class a year. In some cases there are scheduling conflicts where specifically desired art classes are at the same time as the CCA classes or other needed courses. In these instances being part of the CCA academic classes is usually prioritized.
CCA students must take AT LEAST 3 visual and/or performing art classes throughout their 4 years in the CCA at Irvington High School. One of the art classes MUST be an intermediate (level 2) leveled course or above
Students may take an "F" credit course at the MVROP to fulfill their elective requirment. A list of current courses offered are on the MVROP website at the following link if you navigate to the Irvington page: https://www.mvrop.org/for-students/high-school-students/mvrop-courses-for-high-school-students-2024-2025
Is there an Honors option for students in the CCA?
Yes. In order to be eligible for honors starting in the 9th grade students must already be enrolled in honors courses (specifically English and science in for CCA purposes) in 8th grade. If the student is not in honors, students must have A’s in their non-honors courses for both 7th and 8th grade years
9th graders entering the CCA have the option to take the CCA Honors English class, which is comingled with the 9th grade CP English class and will be paired with a non-CCA 9thgrade Living Earth (science)
10th graders may take CCA Honors English which is paired with a CCA World History class.
***The curriculum for AP World History cannot be specialized for the CCA, there is no pairing of 10 honors English and AP World History offered to CCA/Magnet students***
In the 11th and 12th grades, Advanced Placement English and History classes are available, though they are not arts-integrated. Students attending Irvington via the arts magnet waiver may take those classes and still preserve their waiver status so long as they continue to complete the arts elective course requirement (Three art electives, one must be a level 2/intermediate level).
What math and science classes do I need to take as a CCA magnet student?
Math is not part of the CCA family, so students request whatever math class they are eligible for
Students need to list on their registration form the math class that their current math teacher recommends
A recommended math sequence can be found on Irvington.org under the Counselors tab
As for science, students only have one required course being the 9th grade science that is paired with either their English 9 honors or English 9 CP as a freshman
Grades 10 through 12 students may choose whichever science course they are eligible for and will work with their schedule
What is the usual course sequence for an arts magnet waiver student?
Ninth grade: CCA English 9, Living Earth, a math class, PE, Health / Ethnic Studies "through art" (each being 1 semester), and an arts or language elective
*NOTE: 9th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective IF not taking a language class at level 2 or higher
Tenth grade: CCA English 10, CCA World History, Geometry, PE, Science II, and an arts elective or language class
*NOTE: 10th graders on the arts magnet waiver NOT taking a language class must enroll in an arts elective
Eleventh grade: American Studies (CCA English 11 and CCA US History), Algebra 2/Trig, Science III, a language, and an arts elective
*NOTE: 11th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective
Twelfth grade: Humanities (CCA English 12 and CCA Government/Economics), a language, an arts elective, and two other elective classes (often math and science)
*NOTE: 12th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective
What are possible courses for an arts magnet waiver Honors student?
Ninth grade: CCA English 9 Honors, Living Earth, a math class, PE, Health /Ethnic Studies "through art" (each being 1 semester), and an arts or language elective
*NOTE: 9th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective IF not taking a language class at level 2 or higher
Tenth grade: CCA English 10 Honors, CCA World History, a math class, PE, Science II, and an arts elective
*NOTE: 10th graders on the arts magnet waiver NOT taking a language class must enroll in an arts elective
Eleventh grade: CCA or AP English 11, CCA or AP US History, a math class, a science class, a language class, and an arts elective
*NOTE: 11th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective
Twelfth grade: CCA or AP English 12, CCA or AP Government/Economics, a language, an arts elective, and two other elective classes (often math and science)
*NOTE: 12th graders on the arts magnet waiver must enroll in an arts elective
What are the criteria for acceptance into the arts magnet program for students from outside Irvington's attendance area?
The program is intended to serve students with an interest and/or talent in the arts
The program invites student to attend IHS and participate in our wide variety of Visual and Performing arts electives
*NOTE: In addition to the required 3 arts electives, we expect CCA students to explore their creativities and take more than the requirement
The program is also more of a support program for those who would benefit from the arts being integrated into their core curriculum (CP students)
The application allows students to demonstrate their interests in the arts as well as their established or growing talents in the arts
A student's academic record is NOT a factor, and therefore is not considered as part of the application
*NOTE: Students must have a minimum GPA of 1.75 (2.0 recommended) and a clean Discipline record
*NOTE: We do not discriminate in who applies to the CCA; however, if a student cannot be in the CCA program or classes while attending IHS as a freshman we do reserve the right to choose an another applicant who can
ONLY students who live within Fremont City Limits and are within the FUSD boundaries may apply
Can students from outside of Fremont City Limits apply to attend Irvington via the Arts Magnet program?
No.
Per the rules of the arts magnet, the CCA, and FUSD policy this program is only for students who live in Fremont city limits.
More questions? Please see the FAQ or email:
Krista Avon at kavon@fusdk12.net
Kristen Buehler at kbuehler@fusdk12.net
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